Buying a Penthouse and What to look for

During the ‘roaring twenties’ economic growth brought a huge boom in construction to the New York area. People were starting to realize that the jobs and the money were in the big cities and not the small rural towns. They slowly began flocking to the cities and because of this there was a need to supply houses and apartments. Because of this high level of wealth and living it was not just a plain old apartment that many people sought, they wanted the ultimate in luxury. It was the publisher Conde Nast, who first coined the idea of a penthouse when he planned his own rooftop complex at 1040 Park Avenue. Originally, the 1923 plan was to build an apartment block with three separate units on each floor. Then, on the roof, the maids’ quarters would be built. However, in 1924 the plan changed and the upper level spaces were converted to a grand duplex that Nast wanted. This spawned the idea of a penthouse suite, which is defined as a rooftop dwelling set back from the external walls of the main building. In other words, it would be built at the tip of a building but set slightly back in order to not be seen and so that a balcony or roof terrace would be part of the surrounding landscape.

Differentiation and Additions

Penthouses differ greatly from the apartments in the rest of building because they can have the addition of a whole bunch of extra luxuries, such as a roof top swimming pool, tennis court or golf range. Penthouses can also be on two or even three levels, like a townhouse on the roof of an apartment block. Other features of a penthouse are larger sized windows, office spaces, room for a hot tub or Jacuzzi, luxury kitchens, huge luxury bedrooms and massive luxury bathroom suites. The sky really is the limit when it comes to buying penthouses for sale is SoHo. The abundance of penthouse suits that have sprung up in the last ninety years, since the fashion for them grew among the rich and famous. It also offers extra security because most penthouses can’t be reached by pubic elevators; generally a private key is need to activate the elevator.

To find the best penthouses for sale in SoHo, contact for a list of penthouses, apartments and other luxury homes.